Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022

DAILY ANALYST
Wednesday, 22nd June, 2022 Page 11
Loris Karius has been
reflecting on the “ups
and downs” of a stint at
Liverpool that saw him
take in 49 appearances
for the Reds, with one of those
being a nightmare outing in the
2018 Champions League final.
The German goalkeeper has
hit free agency this summer, after
reaching the end of his contract
at Anfield, and is currently
on the lookout for a new club.
He is not rushing that
process, with all options being
considered by the 28-year-old,
but he is eager to get going again
after tumbling out of favour on
Merseyside on the back of an error-strewn
performance against
Real Madrid in 2018.
How will Karius be remembered
at Liverpool?
Unfortunately for Karius,
who was loaned out to Besiktas
and Union Berlin after slipping
down the pecking order
at Liverpool, he will always be
remembered on Merseyside for
his mistakes that allowed a continental
crown to slip through
the Reds’ grasp.
He admits to leaving the
Premier League heavyweights
with mixed emotions, telling
Sky Deutschland of his experience
in England and plans for
the future: “There were ups and
downs. It’s part of the game,
that’s football, but I’ve developed
as a person.
“The level at which we
worked every day and the professionalism
that everyone exemplifies
was unique.
“I’ve never experienced it
Loris Karius
Liverpool nightmare
& congratulates
Bayern for Mane
transfer
before and that’s why we’ve celebrated
a lot of successes there.
I’ll take my determination and
this determination with me to
my next job.
“I’m free and I can make my
own decisions. This is a new situation
that I’m looking forward
to. A new challenge is coming up,
but that’s always a good thing.
I’m ready, mentally and physically.”
Is Mane following Karius out
of Liverpool?
While Karius has already severed
ties with the Reds, he could
be followed out of the exits this
summer by Senegalese forward
Sadio Mane.
A talismanic presence for
Liverpool is being heavily linked
with a move to Bundesliga
champions Bayern Munich, and
a former team-mate believes
that transfer could prove beneficial
to all concerned.
Karius added on Mane's situation:
“It would be a crazy transfer
for Bayern because he’s one
of the top players at Liverpool.
“If Bayern Munich manages
to sign someone like him, then
you can only congratulate them
and the Bundesliga too. It would
be another star in the league,
so I would be very happy for the
Bundesliga.
“Sadio Mane is very reserved,
very down to earth. He also
speaks a bit of German from his
time in Salzburg.
“I’ve always got along very
well with him. Should he come
to Germany, he won’t have any
problems adapting.”
Ghana international
Andre Ayew and his
compatriot Felix
Afena-Gyan were
among the players
recognised for their exemplary
displays in the just concluded
seasons by winning Calcio Trade
Ball 2022 awards on Sunday
night.
First, it was the Black Stars
captain Ayew, who was handed
the Order of the Star Award in
the ceremony held at Kempinski
Hotel in Ghana.
Then the 19-year-old,
Afena-Gyan, who capped the
just-concluded season after
helping AS Roma win the Europa
Conference League trophy after
defeating Feyenoord 1-0 in the
final, was also voted the Most
Promising Player of the Year
award.
The other award winners
for the night include AC Milan’s
Franck Kessie, who was named
the Serie A Player of the Year
after helping the Italian giants
clinch the top-flight title.
Former Ghana player Sulley
Muntari, who currently turns
out for Hearts of Oak in the
Ghanian Premier League, was
recognised with the Lifetime
Achievement Award while
Edmund Addom, who features
for FC Sheriff in Moldova picked
the Arthur Legacy of the Year
Paris Saint-Germain star
Neymar was unharmed
after his private jet
was forced into an
emergency landing in
his native Brazil.
The forward was returning
from a close-season holiday
when the craft suffered
mechanical problems.
And despite his fright,
he was happy to pose with
airport officials following the
unexpected detour.
What happened to Neymar's
plane?
According to reports, the
aircraft had taken off from
Barbados and was on its way to
Sao Paulo when a problem was
detected with its windscreen.
Neymar instead landed in
Boa Vista, the capital of Roraima
state near the northern border
with Venezuela and Guyana.
The PSG ace spent two hours
at the regional airport while the
problem was attended to, and
was greeted warmly by workers.
Who was Neymar travelling
with?
The player spent his summer
holiday with his sister, Rafaella
Santos, and partner Bruna
Biancardi.
The group spent time in
Las Vegas and Miami last week,
Sports
Ghana's Ayew and
Afena-Gyan win awards
laurel.
The Calcio Trade Ball is
an annual event organised by
ArthurLegacy Sports that brings
together Ghanaian footballers
based primarily in Italy with
the business and diplomatic
community.
The 32-year-old Ayew, who
features for Al Sadd in the Qatar
Stars League, finished last season
with the top-flight trophy after
they topped the table with 60
points from 22 matches.
Ayew, who joined Sadd from
EFL Championship side Swansea
City, managed 15 goals from 21
appearances, to finish second
Neymar unharmed after
emergency jet landing
while there was also time to
visit close friend Cris Guedes
and Bianca Coimbra, who have
named Neymar godfather to their
unborn daughter Antonella.
behind eventual top scorer,
Kenya’s Michael Olunga, who
scored 24.
Ayew has taken to his social
media pages to celebrate his
latest achievement.
“Thank you for this honour,
the highest at the CTB awards,”
Ayew wrote. “It has been an
eventful season of football for me.
Club and international football
have given me a lot. This award
should be extra fuel. Thank you.”
The event was graced by the
Italian Ambassador to Ghana,
Daniela d’Orlandi and Ghana
Sports Minister Mustapha Ussif.
Rafaella shared a photo of
the siblings on the runway with
the plane in the background,
declaring that "It is great sharing
my life with you!"